WAITERS IN THE AREA! FLAMENGO STARS LEAD IN ASSISTANCE IN THE BRASILEIRÃO

Midfielder Lucas Paquetá, who came through the ranks at Flamengo, is close to leaving West Ham to join Aston Villa . The deal between the Premier League clubs could generate £47 million (approximately R$345 million) . According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the deal includes a loan with an obligation to buy, as well as additional variables.

The 28-year-old has reportedly already accepted the terms proposed by the Birmingham club. If the transfer is completed, the "Mais Querido" will receive a share of the proceeds, thanks to FIFA's Solidarity Mechanism .

WEIGHT REINFORCEMENT FOR ASTON VILLA

Paquetá 's arrival would mark a new chapter in the midfielder's Premier League career. He would be Aston Villa's fourth signing of this transfer window . The club has already confirmed striker Evann Guessand, defender Yasin Özcan, and goalkeeper Marco Bizot.

Paquetá arrived at West Ham in 2022, signing from Lyon for €43 million. Since then, he has made 123 appearances, scoring 20 goals and providing 14 assists . His biggest highlight was winning the 2023 UEFA Conference League, the Hammers' first continental title.

HOW MUCH WILL FLAMENGO PROFIT FROM THE SALE?

Having nurtured the player in its youth academy, Flamengo is entitled to approximately 4% of the total value of each international transfer involving Paquetá. Based on the £47 million proposal, the Rio de Janeiro club stands to receive approximately £1.88 million (R$13.8 million) at the current exchange rate. Since selling the midfielder to Milan in 2018, Flamengo has already accumulated significant amounts from transfers involving the player.

There were 24.5 million euros (R$ 104 million at the time) in the initial negotiation, another 800 thousand euros (around R$ 5 million) in the move to Lyon, and another R$ 12 million when he transferred to West Ham in 2022. With the possible move to Aston Villa, Paquetá could earn Flamengo, in total, approximately R$ 135 million since leaving the club.

Coach Dorival Júnior was frustrated when Corinthians missed the opportunity to sign Victor Hugo , Flamengo's 21-year-old midfielder. The coach had wanted to work with the youngster again, having previously coached him at Flamengo. However, a FIFA transfer ban imposed due to a debt owed to Santos Laguna for the purchase of defender Félix Torres prevented the São Paulo club from registering new players. This paved the way for Santos to sign the player .

VICTOR HUGO CHOOSES SANTOS UNTIL 2026

According to UOL, in addition to Corinthians , Victor Hugo received inquiries from clubs such as Pafos (CHP), Anderlecht (BEL), Famalicão (POR) and Algarve (POR) , but chose to transfer to Santos, on loan, until December 2026. At the Vila Belmiro team, the midfielder will have the opportunity to play alongside Neymar.

REFORMULATION OF THE RUBRO-NEGRO SQUAD

Victor Hugo's departure is part of Flamengo 's restructuring, which seeks to streamline the squad and open new revenue streams. The club recently sold Matheus Gonçalves to Al Ahli (SAU) and loaned Lorran to Pisa (ITA) . Now, the board is focusing its efforts on potential negotiations involving Michael and Juninho, who could also leave Ninho do Urubu.

PROMISE FROM THE BASE LOST SPOT AT FLAMENGO

A product of Flamengo's youth academy, Victor Hugo was promoted to the professional ranks in 2022 and participated in the club's Copa do Brasil and Copa Libertadores victories. Despite a promising start, he eventually lost his place under Tite and was loaned to Turkish football.

Back in Brazil, he nearly signed with Famalicão, but the deal fell through. He even received a few opportunities under Filipe Luís, but failed to establish himself , leading the club to opt for a long-term loan.

With a star-studded squad, Flamengo is once again losing players during the FIFA World Cup . Three Flamengo players have already been called up for the final two matches of the 2026 World Cup South American Qualifiers: Carrascal (Colombia), Samuel Lino (Brazil), and now Gonzalo Plata (Ecuador). Mengão will also be out during this period.

The list is expected to grow, however. This is because Uruguay has not yet announced its squad . Names like Arrascaeta, Viña, and Varela are likely to be considered by Marcelo Bielsa, while De La Cruz, who is still recovering match fitness, was ruled out by the coach for this FIFA World Cup.

CUTS AND REPLACEMENTS

Flamengo had also loaned full-back Alex Sandro, but he suffered a calf injury and was ruled out. Samuel Lino was called up after a loss to the Brazilian national team : with Matheus Cunha (Manchester United) injured, coach Carlo Ancelotti opted for the Flamengo striker to complete the roster.

SITUATION OF THE SELECTIONS

While Argentina, Ecuador, and Brazil have already secured their World Cup berths, the situation of Carrascal's Colombia remains a cause for concern. The team sits in sixth place with 22 points and could be overtaken by Venezuela (18) or Bolivia (17) . The top six teams qualify directly, while the seventh-place team advances to the playoffs.

SOUTH AMERICAN QUALIFYING GAMES

Round 17

• Uruguay vs Peru – 4/9, 8:30 pm, Montevideo-URU
• Colombia vs Bolivia – 4/9, 8:30 pm, Barranquilla-COL
• Paraguay vs Ecuador – 4/9, 8:30 pm, Asunción-PAR
• Argentina x Venezuela – 4/9, 8:30 pm, Buenos Aires-ARG
• Brazil vs Chile – September 4, 9:30 p.m., Rio de Janeiro

Round 18

• Ecuador x Argentina – 9/9, 8pm, Guayaquil-EQU
• Peru x Paraguay – 9/9, 8:30 pm, Lima-PER
• Venezuela x Colombia – 9/9, 8:30 pm, Maturín-VEN
• Bolivia vs. Brazil – 9/9, 8:30 p.m., El Alto-BOL
• Chile x Uruguay – 9/9, 8:30 pm, Santiago-CHI
• (Brasília time)